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Hofeng Culture

Chinese Giant Lin Bingxiang and his founding of Artemisia School

In the Tai Po area on the south west bank of the Singapore River, there is a Chinese-named street, Peng Siang Quay, which was named in honor of the Chinese leader Lim Beng Siang, who was originally from Longxi County in Fujian Province.

Lin Bingxiang is a generation of overseas Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia, he has been a philanthropist and a good Samaritan all his life. At the same time of career development, Lin Bingxiang was enthusiastic about the public welfare of his hometown of Longxi County, Humaozhou (present-day Longhai City, ZiNi Township) founded nine "CaiShi" elementary school and a commercial high school and CaiShi Pharmacy.

These two photographs are entitled "August 14th, Republic of China, Cai Artemisia School Autumn Traveling Group", one is a group photo of Cai Artemisia No. 1 Girls' School, and the other is a group photo of teachers and students of the "Gong" class. The scene in the photographs shows that the Artemisia School had its own western orchestra more than 90 years ago in the rural area of southern Fujian! I was astonished, but I also felt a sense of emotion. The importance Lin Bingxiang attached to the education of Artemisia Artemisia School is thus evident!

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"Cai Feng De Fan to benefit the sangzhi, prosperous base of the industry grace children and grandchildren," which is still hanging in Lin Bingxiang's former residence in a couplet, but also Lin Bingxiang a family of patriotic love for the countryside of the true portrayal. According to historical records, Lin Bingxiang was born in 1873, when he was young, Lin Bingxiang went to Singapore to enter the St. Ruth's School. After graduating from St. Ruth's School, Lin Bingxiang in his father Lin Cai Artemisia operated by the Fengyuan Navigation Bureau, Lin Bingxiang with excellent business performance began to emerge in the company. 1911, at the age of 38 years old, Lin Bingxiang founded the "and Feng" group. In 1911, at the age of 38, he founded the Hoh Fung Group, which grew into a large-scale enterprise with cement, iron and steel, rice, a letter bureau, plantations, etc. In 1913, he founded the Chinese Merchants Bank, which was later reorganized into the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), and became its General Manager. 1916, he was elected President of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI).

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Lin Bingxiang's Former Residence Complex

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Lin Bingxiang's Former Residence

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In order to repay the hometown's nurturing, Lin Bingxiang family has in Shima, Zhangzhou, Xiamen and other places to create electric lamp company, Shaoxing flower carving wine factory, textile mills, sugar mills, etc., to support the construction of their hometowns, local economic services. 1914 Lin Bingxiang hometown of Humao founded the Xiangmao school, "xiangmao" is to take the name of Lin Bingxiang and his younger brother, Lin Bingmao name of a word named after the school is one of the earliest overseas schools in Zhangzhou area. In 1914, Lin Bingxiang founded Xiangmao School in his hometown Humao, "Xiangmao" is named after the name of Lin Bingxiang and his brother Lin Bingmao, the school is one of the earliest schools run by overseas Chinese in Zhangzhou, and in 1915, Xiangmao School was renamed Caijian School in honor of his father Lin Caijian.

Since then, the Lin Bingxiang brothers successively founded nine Artemisia schools in their hometown villages of Xizhou, Xiagang, Xinyanggang, Caohong, Jinding, Xunyu, Jibei, and Renhe, etc. The Lin family was responsible for the funding of the schools, the salaries of the teaching staff, and the cost of the students' textbooks, etc. At its peak, the Artemisia schools enrolled more than 300 students, and trained a large number of outstanding students for the rural community. At its peak, the Artemisia Artemisia Schools had more than 300 students, cultivating a large number of outstanding students for the rural society. In the fourth year of the Republic of China (1915), Yuan Shikai, the president of the National Government, awarded him the Order of the Third Class Jiahe and the plaque of "Haste and Justice".

The Lin Bingxiang brothers were enthusiastic about public welfare in their hometown. In addition to founding the school, they also donated funds to open the "Artemisia Medical Bureau" and the "Artemisia Benevolent Society". The "Artemisia Medical Bureau" volunteered to provide medical treatment to local people and distribute charitable goods and money. These two photos were taken in front of the Artemisia Medical Center. The Lin Bingxiang brothers were honored by the government at the time for their charity work, which is still praised by the people in their hometown.

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Formerly the Artemisia Medical Center, it is now used as a Buddhist site.

Lin Bingxiang's former residence, Artemisia Medical Bureau and Xizhou Artemisia Elementary School are still standing in Xizhou Village, Zini Town, Longhai City. Lin Bingxiang's former residence was built in 1889, covering an area of more than 20 acres, with 133 houses of various sizes. The residence is in the shape of a "human" structure, in which there are five large houses with the same architectural pattern on one side, commonly known as the "Five Falls", and the architectural styles are all of the two-entry with the left and right compartments, each with 13 houses, and on the other side, there are two majestic houses. Each has 13 houses, the other side of the two majestic mansions, commonly known as the "two falls", each mansion were "the same" structure, including 34 houses of varying sizes; the entire Lin Bingxiang residence architecture integration of Southern Fujian elements and the Nanyang style, extraordinary atmosphere.

The ruins of Artemisia Medical Center and Xizhou Artemisia Elementary School are not far from Lin Bingxiang's former residence, but nowadays, Artemisia Medical Center has been converted into a Buddhist site. The building of Artemisia Elementary School is characterized by its southern flavour, locally known as "Fanzai Building". Nowadays, the school has been deserted, but the pattern of the ruins still gives a glimpse of the glory of the old days.

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Site of Artemisia Primary School

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